Over 500 farmers in Kole North are excited after receiving a total of shs288 million from the Agro Consortium, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The crop insurance programme was originally established for farmers in the constituency by their Member of Parliament, Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, in 2022.

While handing over the funds to beneficiaries on Saturday, August 7, 2026, at Alito town council headquarters, MP Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti championed calls for increased funding for crop insurance payments.

He emphasised that additional resources are necessary to support farmers who have insured their crops but suffered losses, primarily due to the effects of drought.

Dr. Acuti stated that Kole North is one of the areas highly prone to disasters. “For the past five years, our farmers have been confronted with hailstorms, windstorms, and dry spells.

Also read: Samuel Opio Acuti (SOA) Foundation beneficiaries show success in escaping poverty across Kole North

This has led to significantly reduced yields, with some farmers harvesting as low as 10% of expected output. These shocks have deepened poverty among our people.”

“The crop insurance programme serves as a crucial shock absorber against these disasters,” he explained.

The MP, however, appealed to the government to increase the annual budget allocation for crop insurance from shs5 billion to at least shs10 billion.

“With the current budget, which has never been reviewed since the programme’s inception in 2017, many farmers experience delays in processing their claims. An increased budget would shorten the payout period and provide timely relief,” he concluded.

Highlighting the impact of the programme, MP Acuti noted that some farmers who insured their crops experienced complete failure due to drought.

One farmer from the Tute Ryemo Can (Working Hard to Chase Poverty) group, who paid a premium of shs400,000, suffered heavy losses on his maize and soya beans due to the dry spell. He received a payout of shs1,500,000.

Another beneficiary, from the Barkere Farmers Group, had paid a premium of shs2,000,000 and received a payout of shs7,450,000. He said the money would help him pay school fees for his children and also support his farming activities in the second season.

Meanwhile, a farmer from the Lonyo Tye Icingwa (Wealth is in Our Hands) group, who insured crops at a premium of shs390,000, received a payout of shs1,100,000.

In total, shs42 million was collected in premiums, while shs288 million was paid out to the farmers.

Addressing the farmers, the Coordinator for the Crop Insurance Programme in Northern Uganda, Boniface Okello, revealed that Kole North ranks among the top constituencies with the highest uptake of crop insurance.

Over the last five years, about 4,000 farmers have embraced the scheme, with more than shs1 billion paid out in claims.